BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:15 A.M.) – A key American military base in Syria’s southwestern desert region has been destroyed by withdrawing United States and Coalition-backed Free Syrian Army forces.

The installation in question is the Zakaf Base which was established earlier this year in southeastern Homs near the Iraqi border.

The Zakaf Base served as a secondary Coalition garrison to the more important al-Tanf Base further west of it. Here the Coalition trained Free Syrian Army mercenaries and oversaw their operations in southwestern Syria.

According to reports, neither the United States nor the Free Syrian Army plans to use the Zakaf Base anymore and in the process of abandoning it have also chosen to destroy it in order to prevent the garrison’s utilization by any other armed party.

The official reason for the withdrawal of American and Free Syrian Army forces has not been stated, although it is likely linked to a recent agreement been the US, Russia and Jordan that will eventually see the full withdraw of Coalition troops from southern Syria and, in theory, the surrender of militant-held areas in the region to the Syrian Arab Army.

Improve the Discussion

Help us make this a great place for discussion by always working to improve the discussion in some way, however small. If you are not sure your post adds to the conversation, think over what you want to say and try again later.

The topics discussed here matter to us, and we want you to act as if they matter to you, too. Be respectful of the topics and the people discussing them, even if you disagree with some of what is being said.